TW yelling, blood, manipulation
He was cold.
No, cold wasn't the right word. He was alone. A dull ache making his body numb and empty. It was funny, to be honest. How he had gotten used to the cold of this...emptiness as he sat next to Dream. He was alone and cold, which was ironic since he was watching his beloved Logstedshire burn to the ground. The heat radiating off the flams that licked up the side of the logs.
He sat crisscrossed on the stairs by the nether portal, holding his injured arm. Blood slowly dripped down from his shoulder. It didn't really hurt. He was too focused on his new home being destroyed. Ash falling from the sky like snow, landing on the boys wiry, blond hair.
He looked over as Dream sighed. A smile peaking out behind his mask.
Tommy's dulled eyes reverted back to the burning wreckage. A defeated sigh came from him as he rose. Dream followed him with his eyes as he made his way to the tent. He didn't want to watch the last thing he loved crumble into charred wood.
"Where are you going?" Dream asked, moving the fabric entrance of the tent.
Tommy stared at the man dressed in green. "My home is burning, Dream. What type of question is that? You burned my home to the ground Dream! Y-you-" he stopped, looking at the ground, the weight of it all finally settling on his shoulders. He collapsed on his bed, staring at the wall.
"This was your own fault Tommy. I told you the rules. I gave you chance after chance to prove yourself to me, your friend. And what do you do? What do you do Tommy?" His tone wasn't loud or mean, but they stung Tommy like needles.
"You hid things from me Tommy. You hid an entire room from me! After every thing I did for you." Disappointment started to enter his tone. "I trusted you Tommy. I tru-"
Tommy couldn't take it anymore. He was hurt and enraged. Why? Why didn't Dream understand? Why didn't he get it? Was it that difficult for someone to have a private place to go? A place of safety? Away from the silence that was so unbelievably loud!?
"You exiled me!" He shouted leaping from his cradled position. "You have no right to berate me! No ******* right! You have no control over me!"
Dream was silent for a moment. Shocked by the sudden spirit that Tommy showed. Spirit that Dream had worked so hard to crush and implode.
"Tommy, this is my server." His voice was dangerously low. "I get to decide the fate of the people I let live here, including you."
Tommy eyes blazed with rage. He shook his head, looking Dream where the eyes of his smiled mask was. "You know what Dream? I get it."
Dream tilted his head in confusion and interest. Get? What did he get?
"Your afraid." Tommy whispered.
An inaudible growl came from the man in front of him.
"Your afraid of me because I'm the only one that doesn't do what you say! I'm the only one that goes against you! Everyone else just ******* bends to your will. Tubbo included. He wouldn't have exiled me if you weren't there. You make everything worse, Dream."
Dream listened to Tommy's little rant, growing increasingly irritable. His emerald eyes flickered with annoyance behind his mask. His jaw clenched, and he started to play with the hilt of his sword, unbeknownst to Tommy.
"You never learn, do you?" Dream snapped, taking a harsh step toward the blue eyed teen. He swung his arm as he spoke, making the younger one flinch.
"I punish you for your selfishness and you just repeat you actions! You have no sense of friendship, no sense of connection, and no. sense. of. discipline!" Dream hissed, slapping his hands together in between the last words. Tommy shrunk with every aggravated word.
Dream stopped, standing in stiff anger. He had taken a whole month to get this child's spirit to break. He wasn't going to waste all that time for the jump in Tommy's step to come back. He had a plan. And he was determined to execute it.
He sighed as he looked down at the boy. "Tommy," his voice had softened. "You need to understand. You...your a threat to the server. A bug. A mite that's eating through the wood boards. And Tommy." He slid his mask so half of his face was revealed, deep green eyes starting into Tommy. "Mites need to be taken care of. They need to be eliminated."
Tommy's anger quickly turned to fear. The man in front of him was in full armor. Full enchanted, netherite armor. Tommy had a wooden stick. Not a high chance of success of you asked him.
Dream sat down om the wooden floor in front of Tommy. "I have tried to give you so many chances Tommy. And you cast them aside. I try to help you redeem yourself and you act as if I'm trying to kill you!"
'You have tried that before,' Tommy muttered under his breath.
"And your still here. Our sides had come to an agreement! We left you alone and then, what do you do? You burn down Georges house. You commit an act of war. You have no right to be part of La'Manburg!"
He stopped breathing, the words hanging in the air. He sat back on his bed, head resting against the fabric wall of the tent. He knew it wasn't true. It couldn't be true.... But it was, wasn't it? His friends didn't show up to his beach party, they hadn't visited in days. The only one that was always truly there...was Dream. Dram had come every day, to see how he was. And most of the time it was crappy, but Dream was always there.
He roughly rubbed his face with his hands before giving into the small voice in the back of his head, a defeated sigh coming from him.
"I...I'm sorry."
He had upset Dream. Lied to him. Betrayed his trust. Dram had every right to be angry with him. Every right for him to take away what he had given. Every right to hate him. To leave him. The thought frightened Tommy. Being by himself would break him even more.
"Y-your not gonna leave me, are you?" He whispered looking up at the masked man.
"Oh, Tommy." Dream got up and sat beside him. "No, of course not."
"But I made you upset! I...I did everything wrong again! And now...now I don't even have a home anymore."
"We'll rebuild. I did that to make sure you weren't hiding anything else from me."
Tommy understood that logic. Burning down a wooden area would uncover any secrets hidden within. He'd start over. Build anew.
"Then I'll keep a better eye on you." Dreams arm wrapped slightly tighter around the younger boys body, before he let go and stood. "I have some new rules for you Tommy."
The boys sluggish blue eyes traveled up to meet Dreams.
"You can't have any visitors. I'm the only one allowed. And you not allowed in the nether."
Tommy opened his mouth to object, pausing as he thought about the punishment. He sighed and nodded. It was understandable. His friends never came to visit anyway. It didn't matter if they were allowed or not.
Dream started to head out of the tent before he looked back. "Tommy, do you still have the picture of the Christmas tree in Manburg?"
Tommy nodded quietly in response. His eyes widened as Dream held out his hand.
"Give it to me."
"But Dr-"
"Now!"
Tommy pulled out the slightly ripped picture. "Why?"
"I'll give it back when you start behaving again. For now I want to keep hold of it."
"Haven't you done enough?"
Dream stared at him. "Give it to me."
Tommy didn't want to. His home was burnt, his belongings destroyed, and his hope faded. He looked at the picture for a long moment.
In a violent movement, he threw the blankets of his bed at Dream, entangling him in rough bed sheets. An angered grunt came from the green man as he attempted to untangle himself, stumbling on a loose piece and falling on his face.
Tommy launched himself away from him. Wanting to put a good distance between him and his oppressor. He ran past Logstedshire and bolted through the scattered trees behind it, along the shore line. The Branches reached out to grab him as he ran. Shying away from them, he was able to avoid their clutches.
"TOMMYYY!" He heard Dreams distant shout.
He had to get to the village. He had to get to the village he had to get to the village.
And there it was. The buildings rose from the ground as Tommy neared them. He ran into one, hiding underneath the bed there. He covered his mouth to hid his labored breathing, squeezing his eyes shut. Praying that Dream wouldn't find him in such an obvious place.
*
Tommy had run. He had attacked and run. It was...annoying to say the least. Trying to wipe out Tommy's past would be a touch harder then initially thought.
Dream growled at the thought of Tommy's resistance. The boy was impossible. It didn't matter what Dream said or did, Tommy was too reluctant to be under his control. It angered him. Was he scared of Tommy? No. He was easily destroyable. But he didn't want to kill the boy. Not now. There was too much at stake. He just wanted control. Needed it.
"Oh Tommyyy!" he called out as he entered the village. He had watched Tommy practically dive into one of the houses. One of the larger ones.
He smiled as he walked up the steps, purposely creaking the door. Dream was in hunt mode. And it drove vigorously through his veins.
"Oohhhhh Tooommmmyyyy! I know your in heeerrreeee!" he called.
Standing in the middle of the room, he looked around, stepping deeper inside. He ran his hand along the books on the shelf, admiring their leather bound spine. He pulled on off, looking at the cover. It was written in the Villager language and he curled his lip in disgust. A limited race. Living their dull lives.
He replaced the book and strode around the room confidently. He new his prey was here. Pausing, he looked down as he heard the smallest gasp. If he hadn't been attentive he would have missed it.
He crouched, leaning on his heels for support, before striking his victim. His hand shot under the bed and wrapped around Tommy's wrist. A shocked yell came from the boy as Dream forcefully pulled him out and yanked him behind him. He tumbled to the floor, smacking his nose off the wooden planks. Blood started to pour from his noes and drip down his shirt as he fearfully peered up at the massive shadow in front of him.
"Move," the shadow growled, gently kicking him in his ribs.
Tommy rushed to his feet, not wanting anymore injury to himself.
"Lets go," Dream grabbed the boys upper arm, dragging him behind as he went.
Tommy dug his heals in, but Dream was stronger. They passed the village houses and the small gardens. Past the small pond and the abandoned portal.
Tommy latched onto the obsidian.
"Tommy! Let go!" Dream snapped, yanking him.
Tommy pulled back, ramming his shoulder into Dreams abdomen. With a low grunt, Dream let go, holding the side of his stomach. Tommy sprang up, but not in time. A lead wrapped around his ankle as Dream threw it. It pulled Tommy off his feet as it tightened, barely escaping Dreams sword.
Dream swung again, sending a spray of lava from the small pool next to him in Tommy's direction. Tommy, seeing the threat, tried to act, but, yet again, it was too late. The air split with the curdling screams of an injured boy.
*
Pain. It was all pain. His face felt like it was melting. The lava running down his face and leaking into his eyes. He scrambled away from it all. Trying to escape the immense burning. His throat became scratchy and sore from the unbelievably loud noise coming from it.
He heard someone call his name, but he couldn't do anything. the pain was immeasurable. He continued backing up, striking his hands and knee's on the brittle nether rack. He felt something on his shoulder but he pushed it off. Using the object for leverage he pushed himself further back, reaching a small edge. Trying to rebalance failed, and he fell into the cool liquid beside him. everything went quiet. The world seemed to stop, including the burning. It felt like whatever had landed on his face had peeled it's self off by the sudden change in tempter. He was left, slowly sinking into the blessed cold.
For once, he liked the feeling. liked how it surrounded him and tempered the burning heat.
He was at peace.
(This is slightly shorter then I'd like, but im tired, have mercy😅)